


You are mine, I am yours

by madandimpossible



Series: The Interstellar Court [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Armitage Hux is a Jerk, Ben Solo Lives, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Empress Rey, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Happy Ending, I would die for them your honor, One True Pairing, Oral Sex, POV Rey, Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Protective Ben Solo, Protective Rey (Star Wars), Rey (Star Wars) is Nobody, Reylo - Freeform, Sex in Space, Soulmates, Tros never happened, Vanilla, virgins in space
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:06:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24010078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madandimpossible/pseuds/madandimpossible
Summary: The Resistance still held her friends. “Order the ships to stop firing.” She says, not unlocking her grasp from his. “Let them leave this star system in peace.”“Rey.” His voice was low, dangerous, and it uncoiled something deep within her gut.Or - what happens in the aftermath once Rey takes Ben's hand in the Throne Room.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: The Interstellar Court [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1731637
Comments: 15
Kudos: 161





	You are mine, I am yours

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. HAPPY STAR WARS DAY!  
> 2\. I wrote this in vary-stages of sleep deprivation so forgive me for errors, I wanted to post it today lol  
> 3\. This can be seen as a continuation to my fic, "I am hers, she is mine" (The one where Rey takes Ben's hand), but you don't really need to read that one.  
> 4\. This one is all in Rey's POV to make it easy for me, the writer
> 
> 5\. I just want to say that I LOVE Star Wars so much and it's brought so many great people into my life and I WROTE THIS SPECIFICALLY FOR MY FRIEND AND IM GONNA LINK IT TO HER AND I HOPE SHE LIKES IT *sobs*

_When their skin touched, a hundred thousand galaxies cried out as the Force swelled – and nothing would ever be the same again._

X

Rey would not lie down and expose her throat and stomach to Kylo Ren. The Resistance still held her _friends_. 

“Order the ships to stop firing.” She says, not unlocking her grasp from his. “Let them leave this star system in peace.”

“ _Rey_.” His voice was low, dangerous, and it uncoiled something deep within her gut. An awakening that she was not yet ready to deal with it.

“Do it.” Rey forces her tone to steel, and she can feel the _tug_ of their bond. Kylo’s presence at the back of her mind, probing for her intent, trying to see if she’s going to double-cross him. She can still taste the salt of her tears on her lips. But, if anything, it spurs her forward and hardens her resolve. Rey drops her mental shields against him, but only enough so he can skim over her thoughts. He pushes on the bond and Rey pushes back.

Of course. Give him an inch and he wants to take a mile.

“Those are my terms, Ben.” She lifts her chin, “If you want me to stay – you have to let them _go_.”

His gaze is dark and hungry.

And Ben – he _agrees_.

He does not release her hand as he walks to the center console where Snoke had been watching the decimation of the Resistance fleet. Rey takes this momentarily reprieve to look around the Throne Room. The smell of burned and charred bodies hangs heavily in the air, the crackling of plasma, and sparks of machinery raining incandescent debris to the floor. Snoke is a heap of flesh, ripped asunder, and she feels _something_ ripple through her bond with Ben. It’s gone too quickly for her to catch it.

She glances to his profile as he issues sharp commands to the fleet.

A moment later – Hux storms into the room with a platoon of soldiers behind him. It is only then that Ben releases her hand.

“Supreme Leader!” He whirls on them, disgust on his pinched, pale face as his eyes drink in the scene before him - “What the hell is going on?!”

“The Supreme Leader is dead.” Ben says impassively. He nods his head to her, “And we have the Jedi. Order the ships to retreat into First Order Territory.”

The stormtroopers who accompanied Hux lift their blasters at Rey and Ben _snarls_ –

Rey sucks in a harsh breath, her entire body going tight with the preparation of another fight, even though he’s still holding her lightsaber.

Ben lifts his hand and she feels it.

There’s a surge of their combined power. Her light and his darkness. She doesn’t know if he can feel that he’s siphoning from her. She doesn’t know what that means or how to explain it. Just that it _feels_ different. It’s akin to having both feet stuck inside the sand, your heart fluttering anxiously in your chest before a burst of strength and adrenaline yanks one foot out and you’re free.

In the second that passes every individual (Hux included) is clutching their throat and gasping for air. Rey can feel the Force wrapping around their airways. She can feel the pressure behind their eyes. The swell of blood to their faces. The tightness of their lungs and heart as the Force constricts them. Hux turns red and spittle begins to collect at the corner of his mouth. His eyes are on hers – seeking – she thinks –compassion.

Ben’s emotions are white-hot and violate. They bleed across their bond like hot magma. She can hear the words as if he screamed them across the room and they echo through their bond; _make them pay, make them pay, make them pay. No one threatens her. No one._

“I will say this **_once_**.” He says through his teeth, “If you **ever** raise your weapon to her again – I will tear you apart limb from limb. Is that understood?” He releases them with a flippant twist of his wrist. One trooper drops his blaster rifle and scrambles to pick it up.

Hux coughs, slicking his hair back with both hands, “Long live the Supreme Leader.” He doesn’t bother to hide his contempt as he glares at them both.

X

The next few hours pass her in a haze. The _Supremacy_ she realizes, is a well-oiled machine, regardless of who is at the helm. Mere moments ago, Rey had been a prisoner aboard this ship, but now? Officials and troopers may glance her way, but they all keep their mouths shut. They don’t mention her lack of restraints. They definitely do not mention the fact that Kylo Ren is carrying _two_ lightsabers on his hip. She listens intently as Ben issues orders, glaring at anyone who even dares to open their mouth to speak against them, and it’s not long before they’ve set a course for Coruscant.

When Ben guides her to a lavish sleeping quarters, her stomach recoils – “Is this--?”

He senses her question through the Bond before she can finish, “It’s mine. Not Snokes’.”

It’s decorated sparsely, two black couches, a small table and desk. There’s a large viewport dead-ahead and it the stars gleam by in streaks of blue and white. It casts the main room in an ethereal, soft glow. There’s a door to her right that Rey can only assume is the bedroom.

“Oh.” The doors slide shut and Rey holds her hand out, “My lightsaber?”

Ben glances at it on his hip. She feels his trepidation and then swiftly, he shuts her out of their bond.

Her brows pinch in annoyance, “Ben. You know I could just,” She curls two fingers, but his hand catches the hilt before it can fly into her grasp.

“Wait.”

He’s denying her a literal part of herself. It may be Luke’s lightsaber in name, but it became hers. It _called_ to her. Even if he’s blocking out their bond, Rey lets her frustration pool into the Force, and she plants her hands on her hips.

“I can’t just—” He huffs a sigh and for a moment – he looks more boy than man and Rey’s heart softens. “There are expectations here, Rey.”

“What kind of expectations? You strangled Hux for me. I felt it.” She fires back, daring him to challenge her words, to challenge what they both know is true. Ben steps closer – it’s criminal, how tall he is, how much he looms into her space. The energy between them crackles to life.

“I did.”

She did not expect him to deny it.

“I killed Snoke, too.” He says, quietly, “For you. And I would do it again.”

She doesn’t need the force connection to know if he’s lying. She knows he isn’t.

She swallows and stares up into his face. They’re sweaty and grimy from battle, but Rey cannot find it in herself to care. It’s as if her center of gravity has fashioned itself around him. She’s pulled into his orbit. Her body leans towards his and it’s as easy and natural as breathing. The fabric of his tunic brushes against her chest.

His warm gaze flicks away from her face and to her arm – to the wound and something closes off in his expression. There’s a whisper of rage in his Force signature but then it’s gone. He stalks off to the adjoining room and the door whispers shut behind him. Rey’s left standing there feeling like a pivotal moment passed and she’s empty.

“Rey, come in here.” He calls out. Rey has no choice but to follow him. It’s not like she’s going to run off into the Supremacy without her lightsaber. Not that she _plans_ to. She told Ben she was staying. She meant it.

The doors open to reveal another chrome-and-black styled room. Smaller than the main room, the bed is at the center elevated by one step and there’s a viewport above it. Rey thinks it would make her dizzy – staring up at the passing starlight when she was supposed to be sleeping. Her eyes track down to the bed and Ben’s hulking form sitting upon it. A Med kit is strewn about the silky sheets with Ben picking through it and scowling.

She steps up onto the platform and sinks in front of him. The mattress gives only slightly with her weight.

“Here.” He says gruffly, holding out a small Bacta patch. “But, if you need – “His eyes are roaming her face, seeking – _seeking what_? – Rey frowns up at him.

“Ben, I’m okay.” She peels the Bacta patch open and places it upon the wound. It hadn’t bled due to the plasma-nature of the weapon that grazed her, but it stung. She let out a small sigh of relief as the tingling sensation went down her arm.

“It’ll scar.” He says, turning his face away and Rey’s throat tightens at the sight of _his_ scar. “However,” He continues, “I can arrange to have a medical droid or—”

“Ben, it’s fine.”

“Don’t say my name outside these quarters.”

The sudden change in topic makes Rey’s eyebrows raise upward. Ben glances at her and then looks away.

“As I said, there are expectations…” He works his jaw, “I am the Supreme Leader and you’re my…” He trails off, at a loss for words, and Rey’s no better. When she took his hand – she wasn’t really thinking about who she was to the rest of the Galaxy or to Ben.

She was only thinking of that night in the hut on Luke’s island.

The connection. The oneness she felt with him.

She saw a future with him, and she believed in it.

“Give me my lightsaber back.”

He looks back at her and there’s a tug to the corner of his mouth. The mere suggestion of a smile makes Rey’s stomach flip.

“I will return it to you when we reach Coruscant.”

He’s still keeping his side of the bond closed to her. She brushes along his mental shields and finds them ironclad. Very well. She’ll do it the old-fashioned way.

“Swear it?” She asks.

“I swear.”

Rey lifts her palm, spits into it, and then sticks it out to Ben. He gives her an incredulous look, those plush lips parting slightly in disbelief but Rey just stares at him – expectant. Ben spits into his own palm and shakes Rey’s hand. The Bond flitters around them, like a thousand fireflies illuminating the night, and then winks away when they pull apart.

“There’s a fresher in there.” He nods his head to the door in the corner of the room, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

A trickle of fear runs across her spine and Ben, for his part, must read it on her face because he’s suddenly barreling forward with an urgent need to get the words out before she can speak. “I don’t trust Hux to handle the ship nor do I think he’s competent to handle the upcoming chaos that follows a change in leadership. I need to prepare for our arrival in Coruscant.”

“So, what?” Rey folds her arms across her chest, a hot pinprick of anger builds inside her, “I’m a prisoner in your quarters, now?”

He tilts his head, studying her, “No, Rey. No.” He reaches for her and touches the Bacta that she applied to her upper arm, his thumb trailing across the edge of it, “You are free to come and go as you please. I just thought you might need some time to rest.”

Rey looks him over. His hair is sweat matted to his skull, his face smudged with soot, and she wants to laugh at the absurdity of his words. He wants her to clean up and relax while he stomps around the ship, barking orders like a war-lord fresh off the battlefield?

“I hope you’re not just saying this because you’re worried for my safety, Ben.” She says, some of the anger in her gut cooling at his concern and the knowledge that he didn’t intend to keep her locked in here.

His eyes meet hers, “Rey…”

When he says her name like _that_ –

It’s in reverence. He makes it sound holy.

The supplies from the medical kit shift and fall to the floor as they meet one another half-way. Rey’s arms drop and slip around his waist at the same moment that his arms slide around her torso and pull her into his chest. Rey nuzzles her nose into the side of his neck and breathes deep. Beneath the salt of sweat and burned plasma, there’s a rich, earthly scent that reminds Rey of the island of Arch-To. It’s endless green and endless blue. It’s life.

Ben’s arms tighten imperceptibly around her, and Rey fists her hands into his shirt.

It hits her like a wave. It _crashes_ into the center of her chest.

Ben is with her.

She left the Resistance.

Ben is with her.

She’s not a Jedi? Or maybe she still is?

Snoke is dead.

Ben killed for her.

He said he’d do it again.

That train of thought awakens the darkness and it stirs to life inside her.

She would kill for him. She knows it.

Rey gasps as she’s flung into a marbled throne room. She looks down at the dark, smooth fabric that hangs like melted onyx around her legs. There’s the hum of a lightsaber strapped to her back – she can feel the Kyber crystal vibrating against her spine, the power it holds, her power _and_ his. She looks up at the banners. It’s not the First Order’s symbol. It’s something else. Something _new_. And it’s gray and black. Her eyes scan the room and rest on Ben – who is standing with his hands clasped behind his back – with his head tilted up towards the sunlight that’s pouring into the throne room. He turns his head and smiles at her, revealing dimples and crooked teeth, and he extends his hand. Liquid heat floods her veins and ensnares her. A word passes through their bond. _Mine._

Just as abruptly as it began, it ends. And Rey is once again in Ben’s arms on his bed clinging to him as if her life depended on it.

“Get some rest, Rey.” He speaks the words to her temple and there’s a lull of command behind it. She presses against the suggestion and tilts her head up to glare at him.

“Don’t even _think_ for one second that you’re going to just boss me around.”

Ben sighs, “It was worth a try.” He disentangles their limbs and Rey chastises herself for missing it – missing _him_ – so easily. He stands from the bed and rakes his fingers through the tangles in his hair.

“As I said, I’ll be back in a few hours.”

When he leaves, Rey flops backwards onto the bed. She intends to just collect herself before getting up to use the fresher.

Her eyes drift shut, and sleep takes her immediately.

X

It’s disorientating to sleep in space. There’s no guidance from the stars as to how much time has passed. She suspects it’s been a few hours. As she sits up, she notes the medical supplies that she and Ben knocked over have been cleaned up and there’s clothes folded by her hip. She reaches out with the Force, detecting the hundreds of lifeforms on the ship, and then zeroing in on the blip of darkness – Ben’s Force Signature.

He’s closer than she thought he’d be. Much closer.

The door to the fresher slides open and reveals Ben with a towel around his waist, his dark hair dripping water onto the pale expanse of his broad shoulders and chest. Rey swallows at the sight and turns her face away as heat blooms in her cheeks. Clumsily, she pulls up her shields so Ben can’t read into her side of the bond. Even though she’s certain he can read her body language just as well.

She fumbles to find the right words – “You – uh – done in there?”

 _Stupid_. She wants to hit herself on the forehead.

“Yeah.” There’s the telltale opening and closing of a drawer, shuffling of fabric, and Rey hazards a quick glance to find that Ben is semi-decent. It’s not that it bothers her. It’s the opposite, in fact. But Rey doesn’t know how the _kriff_ she’s supposed to explain that.

The sight of him just evokes so _much_. There’s passion, there’s anger, there’s pride, there’s hope, and frustration, and the overwhelming sense of belonging that Rey really doesn’t know what to do with. The vision that was shown to her by the Force only exacerbates these feelings. And Ben looks at her with a hunger that she’s only experienced with food.

Rey scoops up the offered clothing and darts into the adjoining bathroom without another glance in his direction. Once the door shuts, she sees her reflection and grimaces at her flushed cheeks.

She grew up with water as a luxury so she’s not going to spend a frivolous amount of time even if she knows that she _could_. She scrubs the dirt and blood from her body and removes the Bacta patch. Ben was right. It did scar.

She runs her fingertip over the raised flesh. The symbol reminds her of something but before she can recall – the memory is gone. It’s like trying to catch smoke. Rey shakes her head and quickly washes her hair. She steps out, dries, and pulls from the pile of clothing she dumped onto the counter.

She sorts through it until she finds what she _thinks_ is bedclothes. It’s a white, thin sleeveless blouse and loose-fitting black pants that cinch at her waist and end around mid-calf. 

Rey’s combing her fingers through her hair when she exits the bathroom to find Ben sitting on the bed, his legs outstretched, and his back propped up against the headboard. Rey stops as she feels several emotions that flicker across their connection – _surprise_ , _adoration, concern,_ and then – _lust._ The pulse of _want_ that reverberates across the bond is colored pink and trails like a lover’s kiss along her spine.

She tries her best to school her expression into one of neutrality as she crosses the room and joins him, “I need to know what happens next.”

“Okay.” Ben sets down the data-pad he was flipping through, “It’s mostly politics.” His face twists in open disdain. Rey refrains from rolling her eyes. She wants to ask him why he bothered with becoming the Supreme Leader if this was what it entailed.

“You said they would have expectations. Tell me so I _know_ what to expect.”

“There will be a ceremony to show our military strength and introduce me as the Supreme Leader.”

Rey folds her legs underneath her, leaning against a pillow, “I thought you said let the past die.”

Ben blinks, “I …yes.” His expression hardens, “Is this about the Resistance?” There’s a tremor of hurt that echoes through the bond. _He still expects me to leave. He still thinks I’ll turn and abandon him._

“Then we should call ourselves something else. Be something else.” Rey says, watching his expression shift as he digests her words. “Ben, I – I don’t know what the future holds. But I believe the future is what we make of it. What _we_ create...”

Rey presses her lips together and leans forward, “Together.”

The word hangs between them. Heavy and laden with promise, with desire, and hope.

Ben’s hand lifts and he cradles her face. The warmth and size covers her from temple to chin and Rey shifts closer, steadying herself by settling both hands on his muscular chest. A jolt of electric heat shoots through her at the skin-to-skin contact. Her eyes drop down, trailing the path of his scar as it travels down his neck, past his collarbone, and she’s overcome with the urge to kiss it. To kiss _her_ _mark_.

Ben leans forward, however, and foils her plans. His lips are on hers and it’s –

It’s racing through the sands on a speeder with a salvaged part that’s almost good as new.

It’s feeling the rain against her skin for the first time.

It’s the hum of her lightsaber, extending her will, and filling her with purpose and righteous fury.

She melts into his touch and softens her mouth against his. The bond licks to life and she marvels at the feeling of it between them – the unique energy that is their combined power. Ben pushes closer and Rey yields, her hands sliding up to hold the back of his neck and anchor herself. His tongue slides across the seam of her lips and her lips part in surprise.

She’s never done this before. She hopes she’s doing it right?

 _You’re perfect._ Ben’s voice. In her head.

 _Thanks?_ She replies, a note of bashfulness in her tone.

He hums in the back of his throat and then dips his tongue into her mouth and Rey groans. Her fingers play with the damp hair at the back of his neck as he pushes her further backward, into the pillows, into the mattress. It’s dizzying.

Rey slips and then she’s _inside_ his head.

She sees herself through Ben’s eyes fighting in the throne room. She can feel the thrum of battle, the darkness that rises to meet his power and bends to his will, and beneath it all – she feels his _affection_ for her. She hears herself cry out as she’s struck and the world blurs and then snaps into focus. Ben’s anger is howling. A ferocity that steals her breath for several seconds. His need to protect her. Protect his _mate_.

A tug and she’s fighting him in a snow-swept battle. The snowflakes melting on her face as their lightsabers clash with sparks flying. His emotions are a wild, wind-swept storm inside of him. _Protect her. Protect her. Show her the ways of the Force. Han is dead. Keep Rey with you. Han is gone. Don’t lose Rey. She’s yours._

She’s sitting across from him in the firelight. She’s offering him her hand. His heart is in his throat and he can feel it beating incessantly – his fingertips tremble when they reach for her. _Can we touch?_ He wonders. _Does she feel it?_

With some effort, Rey pulls her lips away from Ben’s, “Sorry…”

She doesn’t know if he wanted her to see any of that and she can’t help but feel like she might’ve been spying a little. Even if she hadn’t meant to.

Ben looks down at her, his face pink, with the stars trailing lines of bright light above his head.

His teeth catch his lower lip, “Rey.”

“I don’t know what that means.” She hurries, “You said mate? I don’t know what that means. Is it because of our Force Bond?”

“It means I’m yours.” Ben grabs her wrist and pulls her hand to his face, kissing her pulse point and making her shiver. “And you’re mine.” He slides his fingers up and loosely intertwined their fingers. “It’s a rare phenomenon, often between individuals who are strong in the Force, that – from everything I’ve researched – binds us together.”

Rey’s brows furrow, “Okay? But didn’t we already have that? Snoke bridged our minds.”

“He didn’t.” Ben sighs and lowers his head so their foreheads touch, “Snoke lied. We were connected – I mean – I sensed it before. Long before. Rey…I felt you…just whispers, dreams, but…I knew you were my mate. I just didn’t know where you were or how to find you.”

She feels the nudge of his mind to hers.

Rey nods a little and then in a flutter of a butterfly’s wings – she’s brought back into his mind.

X

Ben sits in front of the misshapen helmet of Darth Vader. There’s anger and shame roiling in his gut and a dull throb of pain from the beginning of a black eye. Snoke’s punishment. One of many, he knows, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Even now – he can feel the slithering, gruesome hooks of Snoke’s presence clawing his way through his thoughts. Ensuring that he’s meditating _properly_. That he is committed to the dark side.

“Grandfather.” He bows his head in respect. There’s a moment where Ben can feel the brutal heat of the sun on his face. It vanishes as quickly as it came. A voice appears, quiet, but very much _there_. _“Find the girl.” It says._ Ben wants to roll his eyes. He doesn’t. This could be one of Snoke’s lessons. _“She is your destiny.”_

 _Destiny_? Ben scowls.

 _“You know the truth, Ben.” The voice says and its kind. There’s a smile to it. He can hear it._ Ben panics, grappling for control, for understanding because this must be a trick. It must be. Snoke is using his false name. The name of a dead boy to trick him and see if he still holds love inside his heart. The next word is a faint whisper trailing behind Ben’s exhale - _“Padme.”_

The voice fades and Ben’s can only hear his labored, terrified breathing.

He doesn’t meditate again until a full week has passed. He kneels in front of Darth Vader’s helmet, his skin slick with sweat after enduring a nightmare where he was drowning in sand and bows his head. The voice rises to meet him. _“Padme was my mate. Our lifeforces were intertwined. When I died, she died.”_

Ben frowns, “How is this supposed to make me stronger?”

_“We were two that are one.” The voice sighs, “So are you. With her. Find her. Before it’s too late.”_

Too late? Ben’s hands curl into fists on his lap. Fear lances through his heart. Fear for Snoke. His punishment. Yes, he knows he will be punished. This voice is clearly Snoke trying to get him to stray from the path.

_“I will keep this safe from him.” The voice promises, “Trust me.”_

Ben doesn’t trust the voice. He knows it’s Snoke. It doesn’t matter that the voice sounds familiar. It doesn’t matter that the voice speaks of his grandmother and talks nonsense about ‘mates’ and ‘destiny’. Ben throws himself into his training like never before and waits for the inevitable punishment from Snoke.

But…

The punishment never comes. Months pass before Ben sees Rey for the first time. The feeling of recognition rocks him to his very core. It’s like lifting a fog from his mind. He senses every dream he had that was hers. A vague, child-shaped memory crosses his peripheral of a boy giving a pilot’s doll to a crying girl. He feels her loneliness, her anger, her strength, and her light. It matches his.

A lock turns, a piece clicks into place, and Ben feels whole. There’s an overwhelming urge to protect her and it stuns him.

The voice flickers into his mind on its own for the first time, _“That’s her”_ – it provides, unhelpfully. As if Ben wouldn’t recognize her blindfolded. _“It’s a shame she’s trying to kill you.”_

 _Shut. Up_. Ben snaps back and deflects a blaster bolt with his lightsaber.

With every white-hot flash of pain from Snoke’s punishment, Ben grinds his teeth together and escapes into the small, safe section of his mind. His body curls on the floor as a jolt of electricity causes his head to snap backwards onto the tile. The impact makes him see spots that dance across his muddled vision.

The voice – which is more of a _presence_ now – surrounds Ben in an emotion that he’s too terrified to admit. It’s not an emotion he’s _worthy_ of. The presence takes Ben’s knowledge about Rey, about the fact she was his mate, and keeps it safe. As promised. And the presence in the Force does something else too.

_“I planted a seed.” He says, sounding smug, “Just a whisper. A memory.”_

Ben creaks one eye open at the blueish-humanoid shape with no face. He’s trying to meditate in earnest. The Force connected him and Rey (which only resulted in her trying to _shoot_ him the first time.) Was this the mate bond? Or something else?

_“Snoke’s going to take credit for connecting you and Rey. He **cannot** know that she’s your mate.”_

Ben works his jaw, curiosity gets the better of him, “Why?”

_“In theory, as mates, he could use your combined essence in the Force to achieve immortality.” Sadness ripples through the Force, “Or worse…he could torture you with her.”_

That night a terrifying vision comes to Ben. He sees himself kneeling in front of Snoke with Rey screaming. He feels Snoke’s claws as they violently tear into Rey’s mind. Snoke croons with praise that his apprentice has finally done what he asked. Rey does not stop screaming and there’s a tremor of _real_ fear beneath all her fury. Snoke looks at him with those cold, glassy eyes, “You still have compassion for her?” He grins a humorless smile, “I will snuff that out.” The vision flashes Ben’s arms jerk over his head – outside of his control – his lightsaber illuminating Rey’s face in red light. He’s a puppet on strings and he’s _powerless_. No. No. No. The lightsabers swings down and –

Ben wakes up screaming.

X

Rey gently pulls herself from the memory and a teardrop lands on her cheek. It takes her a second to realize that Ben is crying.

“Oh, _Ben_.” She cranes her neck upward and closes the distance. Her teeth click against his in her urgency and she tries to pull away – but he just chases after her and delves his tongue into her mouth. He greedily sucks and devours her, sucking her lower lip into his mouth, and presses the weight of his body into hers. Rey buries her fingers into his hair and digs her nails into his scalp. There is a desperate, hungry edge to their kiss. The bond pulses between them.

 _I finally found you._ He says into their bond while digging his fingers into her hips.

“This.” Ben rasps, his lips latching onto her neck and making Rey arch up to him, “Our Bond is special. Mates aren’t usually able to communicate telepathically or share memories. From everything I understand it’s normally just an empathetic and energetic bond.”

Rey’s trying to keep up. Her mind is swimming, a memory of herself in the desert, when she felt a flash of cold. The voice in a dream. _I’ll come back for you, sweetheart. I promise._ Yet, she doesn’t feel any of the possessive protectiveness that Ben feels.

“Is it supposed to feel different for me?” She blinks back the unexpected tears. It’s _too much_.

Ben, sensing the tremendous swell of emotions in her chest, pulls back and wipes away her tears with his thumbs.

“I don’t know.” He sighs, “Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

She opens her mouth to protest. He just threw all this at her and wants her to sleep? She just woke up from a nap! Then Rey sees the darkness under his eyes and remembers that Ben hasn’t slept. He’s likely been running on pure adrenaline since their fight with Snoke. Everything feels as if it happened a lifetime ago.

“Okay.”

Ben pulls back the covers and with a wave of his hand the lights go dim. He loops an arm around her waist and presses his nose to the back of her neck. Rey curls into the delicious, solid warmth of him and tucks her toes between his legs.

 _I’m yours._ He says through the bond. It’s laced with fierce sincerity that makes Rey’s eyes prick with tears again.

“And I’m yours.” But by the time she says it, Ben is asleep.

X

In the morning (at least, Rey considers it morning), Ben’s eyes flutter open and he presses sleepy kisses to her shoulder blades and then promises her food. Rey sighs, turning her nose into her pillow with a slow, soft smile. She can feel the tension easing from him. A hint of disbelief, too.

Unable to help herself, she nudges that feeling, sending her own unspoken question through the bond.

“I just…” He huffs and it tickles the baby hairs at the back of her neck, “Slept well.”

She covers his large hand resting her middle with her own, “Good.”

With time to mull over her decisions, Rey knows it was a selfish choice to join him. But it was also the pragmatic one. Rey was a survivor. That is who she is at the _core_. To stay with Ben meant the survival of her friends.

They would understand, in time, if she ever had the chance to explain.

“You never did tell me what to expect. Not _really_.”

Ben grumbles, draping his leg over her thigh and securing her firmly against the solid mass of his body. “I guess…it’s different now?” He ventures, a hesitant note to his voice, “We’re changing things. We will still need to go and make introductions and make it known that we’re in charge.”

Rey twists around to face him, a smile lingering on her lips, “Am I gonna be your queen or holy Empress or something?”

“Or something.” He says with another one of those not-quite smiles. He kisses her firmly before a chime from his datapad pulls him away. Rey tentatively reaches out to their bond and to his mind. He’s open to her. _Mostly_. She props her head up on her hand and studies his face as his jaw clenches. It takes her a moment of sorting through their intertwined emotions – the Bond muddies the waters – but she soon realizes that he’s hiding his annoyance.

She flops onto her back and watches the stars swirl above. Ben is her mate. Force-mate? Bond-mate? What _exactly_ is it called? What does that mean for them going forward? He’s already carved such a place inside her heart that she doesn’t think time or space could separate him. The idea of returning to the opposite side of a war makes her insides churn. But she has to consider the safety and wellbeing of her friends.

The war between the First Order and the Resistance has to end.

“I know.” Ben’s voice tears her from her thoughts.

“What?”

“The war.”

Rey blushes. She, perhaps, should have guarded her thoughts a little more closely. “I’m not thinking of going back. I’m just worried about them.” She hurries to clarify even though he can feel her across their connection, “I want to stay with you. I _chose_ you.”

“Rey...” Ben crawls back over to her side of the bed and settles his head on her chest, “This…path ahead of us. It won’t be easy.” Rey cards her fingers through his thick, dark hair, and she feels him sigh - “I’ve seen it. The Force showed me a vision when we – uhm - kissed.”

She curls a lock of hair around her finger, “What did you see?”

“Rebellion. War. The past doesn’t always go peacefully.” He curls his lip, “Some fools will keep holding on no matter what.”

 _We will figure it out._ She tells him with a soft, slight tug to his hair. Ben nuzzles his face into her and neither move nor speak until a droid delivers their breakfast.

X

True to his word, when they arrive in Coruscant, Ben hands over Rey’s lightsaber. It feels good to have it once more. It feels _right_. Enough time has passed for the Supremacy, at the very least, to become acquainted with Rey as an authority figure. She can feel the distrust through the halls ( _especially_ in Hux), but Kylo Ren is feared. That healthy dose of fear bleeds into Rey’s status as well.

“Wow.” Rey breathes as the chromatic and illuminated city comes into view. “I’ve never seen a place like this before.”

“It’s a big galaxy.” He mutters, distracted, and Rey brushes her mind against his. His mental touch is soft in response. She gets the message and pulls back. They mutually agreed to keep the bond closed-off during the arrival. Ben needed to keep his head straight to deal with Hux and politics and Rey needed her emotions clear. They wouldn’t be useful as a unit if they were bleeding into one another.

And they do appear as a united front. Rey refused the dresses and finery that the stylist had suggested. She agreed to a dark grey sleeveless shirt with silver piping around the neck and at the bottom hem with tight, form-fitting black leggings so she could strap her blaster belt to it and still have ease of movement. Ben’s wearing his black pants and tunic but opted for a dark grey cloak to match Rey’s shirt. His hair’s styled away from his face and he looks healthy and well-rested. A fact that Rey is _proud_ of.

The past few days leading to their arrival, Rey and Ben fell into a routine. They’d wake up, have breakfast together, and then Rey was free to explore while Ben handled his duties. He showed her the training rooms and granted her clearance across the ship. Eventually, Rey could stop in on Ben’s meetings and no one would raise an eyebrow – but Rey often found them to be tedious and exhausting. In the evenings, they’d lie together, and sometimes they’d talk but mostly they’d just melt into their bond. It was a blanket of security in an unsecure world.

She was eager to get planet-side. She wanted to stretch her legs. The Supremacy was large, yes, but again Rey wanted to _explore_. This city vibrated with life. She could feel it even without the Force’s aid.

Rey falls into step beside Ben as they descend the ramp and her heart leaps into her throat. _Holovids?_ The panicked thought flickers across their bond – loud enough for Ben to hear – because he glances over to her and offers his arm.

_This will be broadcasted, yes._

_Oh._ Rey bites her lip; _I didn’t think it would._

_Do you trust me?_

Her answer never wavered.

_Yes._

A sweep of possessiveness drifts across the bond. Rey tilts her head up at him and offers him a small smile. Ben gave her the few collected Holo-records he had of the Force-Mate phenomenon. It didn’t hold any new information that he hadn’t already shown or told her. But it helped her to understand his point of view. In these Bonds, it wasn’t uncommon for one or both partners to seek to be the protector or provider for the other. Often, they’d go to great even _dire_ lengths to keep their mate safe.

His protectiveness over her was only matched by her own for him. The mere _idea_ of someone trying to take Ben away, or harm him, made Rey’s hackles rise. There had been nights when Ben fell asleep first and Rey visualized herself providing the killing blow to Snoke – just to pay him back for the torment and pain he caused.

There’s a flash of discomfort as some reporter snaps a photo and Rey squeezes Ben’s arm.

 _This will be over soon._ She reminds him.

X

“I am herby announcing the dissolvement of The First Order.” Hux’s voice echoes across the throngs of people, military and civilian and politician. There’s a mummer – like the buzzing of many insects – “It’s territories and treaties will fall under the new galactic reign of the Interstellar Court.”

He turns and expands his arm to Ben and Rey who are standing at opposite sides of the stage, “I present – your Emperor and Empress. Long may they reign.”

Rey notices the unusual twist of Hux’s lips – he’s _happy_? That doesn’t add up to the dour-faced man she endured during their space travel. The man who stuck his nose up at her at every turn and glared coldly with disdain at Ben’s back.

“Ben!” Rey’s voice erupts the same time the blaster fire begins. An explosion rings out and the screaming sound of TIE fighters follow swiftly after. There’s an upheaval as the stage splits in two and Rey scrambles for balance against the trembling Durasteel. Smoke and ash fill the air and the screaming swells behind it. The Knights of Ren who were stationed at the back of the stage fan out, brandishing their weapons and throwing themselves into the fray. Rey ignites her lightsaber and deflects a blaster bolt that would’ve cleaved her head from her shoulders. There’s a rush of Stormtroopers but given the fact that they’re aiming for the stage – Rey can’t assume they’re on her side. Where the Kriff did Hux go?!

Her eyes are watering are she leaps across the broken stage. Her knee slams into the edge and a yelp escapes her as her fingers slip along the platform. The pain reverberates across their bond – her mental shields fell the second she realized they were in danger.

 _Rey! Where are you?_ Ben’s voice is frantic, his mind crawling against hers and seeking a foothold and his panic, rage, and terror flare into their bond.

 _I’m here!_ She tries to throw out her senses, to feel Ben among the crowd of fleeing bodies, but the fear is so thick and pungent that she cannot find him. She hauls herself up onto the platform and tests her weight on her leg. She winces. It’s not great, but she’s had worse, and she needs to find Ben.

She can feel his exertion and she realizes he’s fighting somewhere. He’s not on the stage? Oh. Of course. Ben would go after Hux.

 _Ben, I’ll come to you._ She jumps down from the stage and pointedly ignores the flare of pain in her leg. _Tell me where you are._

He doesn’t respond. Insufferable man. Rey bares her teeth, grips her lightsaber in both hands, and charges into the chaos. Another swoop of TIE fighters drop a row of bombs onto the ground and the world tilts. The groaning of metal being ripped apart overhead tells her that they’ve hit a building and it’s not going to last a third run of bombings. Rey tries not to think about how many innocents are caught in the crossfire of this shoddy assassination attempt. She’ll have time to think about after. After. Her priority is Ben.

There’s a flash of green. Then red. Rey scowls and pushes her way through the scattering crowd, deeper and deeper into the danger. It could be blaster fire, it could be Ben, it could be something else. She doesn’t know. She just has to trust herself. The ash collects on her skin, her hair, and it clogs her lungs sending her into a fit of coughing more than once. She swings her saber in a wide arc, cutting down a stormtrooper, trying not to think of Finn, and then lifts her hand to block a blaster bolt with her hand. Her arm trembles with the effort. She feels Ben – his darkness – touch the back of her neck and it gives her just enough to push the bolt back to its owner. The trooper falls with a neat black hole melting his armor.

_Ben!_

She catches another flash of red and the tell-tale heat of his anger. She’s close.

A phantom touch of pain hits her in the ribs. It burns. Rey looks down and sees she’s not hurt…which can only mean…

 _Ben_!

Rey pulls the Force around her and it grows teeth. She’s so close and she’s not going to let anyone – man, machine, or otherwise get in the way. Something snaps and everything is sharper. The Force flows fluidly into her veins, shifting to her will, as she carves through troopers without a second glance and grabs them by the throat and tosses their bodies out of path.

She slinks behind the fallen rubble of some-statue, grabs two of her assailants with the Force, and bodily slams them into one another. She takes off in a dead-run, leaps over their fallen bodies, and the ground shakes as another explosion hits. Rey’s knees buckle at the force of the aftershocks and she blinks away the ash from her vision.

Only Hux would condone this amount of senseless violence on territory that was loyal.

Ben turns, sensing her, his eyes blown black and his face smudged with residue. The tension in her chest loosens at the sight of him. He’s illuminated in firelight and blaster fire. The darkness of his Force signature casts a long shadow around him as it drinks from his rage, his pain, and humiliation that he was bested by Hux. Of all people.

“Ben!” She yells over the din of terror and chaos as she runs to him, “We have to go.”

“Hux—”

“Leave him!” Rey grabs his arm and he looks down at her – feral and baring his teeth.

“We will deal with it another day.” She implores, glancing down to the hole in his shirt, the blood oozing from the injury, “Kriff – you’re hurt.”

“It’s nothing.” He snaps and tries to pull his arm back, but Rey doesn’t let him. Her grip tightens like a vice.

“I am not leaving here without you.” Rey stares up at him and Ben just glowers down.

“I’m not leaving here without killing Hux.”

They snap a part as a fresh platoon of soldiers file into the smoky streetway. Fighting together, side by side, is as electrifying as it had been when they faced off against Snoke’s elite guard. Rey leans into the darkness. She feeds off the rage she feels towards Ben’s injury. The world, though it’s covered in fire, smoke, and debris has never been clearer. There is only her, and Ben, and their enemy. She feels raw, ferocious power and it makes every nerve vibrate with appreciation. His _strength_.

He grunts as he slams his lightsaber into the chest of a fallen Stormtrooper. He turns – the laser of a blaster almost touching his nose but held still by Rey. She clenches her fist and draws her hand back and the blot careens off course and hits a building. Her _mate_. She needed to get him to safety. The singular thought drives her forward, pushes her to be faster, to be **better** than her enemies.

“Ben!” She tries again during a lull and catches up to his long strides, “ _Please_.” He doesn’t slow down, so she throws it all into the bond.

_Ben, please! Please! We will deal with Hux – I swear it. I promise you. But we have to get off this planet. Ben—I can’t lose you!_

He stops and half-turns, his face covered in shadow, and she can feel him thinking even though he’s block his mind. His shields drop as quickly as they had risen, and he searches the sky, coming up with some kind of plan.

_This way._

X

They take a shuttle that’s not First-Order. Rey thinks it might be a merchant ship of some kind, but she’s hardly thinking about that. The only thing she’s thinking about – truly – is finding medical supplies to heal Ben’s injury and then give him a look over. Her mind is frantically jumping between worst case scenarios. What if it gets infected? What if he’s bleeding out? She can’t tell how much blood he lost. She keeps checking the Bond, brushing her mind against his, trying to ascertain the answers to her questions without asking.

Her fingers tremble as she tears open a med-kit and the contents splatter onto the floor. The ship lurches as Ben pilots them out of the planet’s gravitational pull and Rey loses her footing. Her shoulder slams into the wall and she curses with a loud yelp.

 _Rey?!_ Concern bursts through him.

 _I’m fine._ She snaps, _just lost my balance._

_Why aren’t you strapped in?_

_I have more pressing issues._ She replies hotly as she bundles what she thinks she’ll need and makes her way back to the front of the shuttle.

“Take off your shirt.” Rey drops the items into the co-pilot chair. Ben swivels to look at her and his face – to her – does look a little paler than she remembers.

“I told you—”

She pins him with a glare, “I won’t have you dropping dead on me.” Her voice betrays her and breaks at the last second. Then, Ben deflates. His shoulders drop and she can feel his apology and his acceptance of her request roll across their bond. He draws his shirt up and over his head and Rey has to bite her tongue to stop herself from gasping. There’s a nasty blaster-shot right below his left rib, a shallow cut on his arm, and the start of a bruise around his collarbone.

“Debris fell on me when the stage collapsed.” He says as her eyes linger on the bruise.

“We will need to make a stop…somewhere…to get you fixed properly. This isn’t enough.” Rey kneels in front of him, a swell of guilt washes over her, “I’m sorry.”

“Rey.” He grabs her face between his hands and forces her gaze to meet his, “You. Have nothing to apologize for. This is what the shuttle has. We’ll make do. We’ll survive.” He scans her face, her shoulders, her chest, her stomach. “Are you hurt?”

She does a quick mental scan, cataloging the bumps and scrapes that she endured - “My knee might bruise but nothing serious.”

Relief unfolds across his face and he nods before releasing her and letting Rey patch him up.

X

It’s silent in the cabin beyond the occasional beep of the console and Rey drops her head into her hands, staring between her muddied boots, “What next Ben?”

“Well…” She hears him sigh beside her, “We’re traveling through the Corellian Run and that’ll connect us to the planet Abednedo. From there it’ll be a process of locating what allies we have within the star systems… _Kriff_. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I should have known Hux would try--”

“Don’t.” She lifts her head and rests her palm on his knee, “Don’t do that to yourself, Ben.”

His nostrils flare and there’s a mummer of discontent that flows through their connection. Rey soothes it as best she can. He covers her hand with his and gives alight squeeze to her fingertips. It never fails to catch her attention how his hand simply _dwarfs_ her own.

“Do your Knights know where to find you?”

He nods. They both look out onto the viewport.

After a few minutes, Rey speaks up - “I’m going to see what other supplies this ship has.”

X

Rey wakes to the feeling of Ben climbing into the small bunk with her. His large arms circle her slim waist and he peppers kisses to her throat.

 _I wouldn’t have survived if I lost you._ He says through the bond, dragging his teeth along her collarbone and squeezing her to his chest.

_You shouldn’t have run after Hux._

Ben’s silent but she feels him stewing over her words.

 _I was worried._ She adds, her hands splaying across his shoulders.

 _Did you mean what you said?_ He lifts his head to meet her eyes, _you said – through the bond – that you couldn’t lose me._

“Yes.” Rey says aloud, holding his face between her hands, “Yes, Ben. I meant it. I _mean_ it.” She licks her lips, “I’m yours and you are mine.”

His dark eyes widen slightly and then crinkle at the corners as he smiles – a real, true smile – identical to the one from her vison. Dimples and crooked teeth and eyes warm with mirth and adoration. Rey never thought she’d ever inspire such a look from another person. She never believed it was possible. Her heart grows at the sight of it. She feels it expand in her chest.

He leans down as Rey leans upwards. Their bodies forever meeting each other halfway. Their mouths connect and galaxies burst with white, blue, and yellow behind her eyelids. Ben kisses her as if he’s a man dying of thirst and she’s the unexpected oasis. His tongue slides along hers, teeth catching her lip and drawing it into his mouth and Rey arches her spine toward him.

Maybe this is what the Force wants. Just the two of them together. No titles. No territories to rule.

Ben pulls away, leaning back on his haunches and tears his shirt up and over his head. Rey digs her fingers into the tousled dark waves and groans impatiently into his mouth. _Too many clothes._ She feels him smile against her mouth. His hands fumble at her waist, unfastening the tie of her pants and sliding them from her tanned, muscular legs. She shudders with relief as he presses his palm to her wet underclothes. She grinds her hips to his hand, sending small tremors of pleasure through her body at the friction against her clit. There’s more awkward fumbling as Rey yanks her shirt open. They’ve never passed this point.

But, something about today. The edge of loss. The uncertainty of tomorrow. A throb of desire pulses at her core.

_More, Ben. Ben, I need more._

He pulls back and she stares up into his eyes. The dark brown of his iris is swallowed by the darkness of his pupil. His lips are plush and reddened and Rey wants to _devour_ him. She sends that feeling through their bond. He responds with his own intoxicating surge of longing.

_I’ve wanted this for so long, Rey. Wanted **you**._

He slides a finger into her wet folds and Rey inhales sharply at the contact and new sensation. His mouth lowers to her neck, trailing wet kisses down the column of her throat, and then settling at her breasts. Rey’s fingers tangle in his hair as his lips close over the raised peak of her nipple. He sucks and flicks his tongue across the bud, sending sharp tingles of pleasure to her aching cunt.

His finger pumps in and out of her at a pace that’s both maddening and exhilarating. His thumb comes to circle her clit and Rey moans, head falling back onto the stiff bunk, and she rocks her hips against his touch. His adoration flows freely across the bond.

“Rey…” He groans her name into her skin, lips ghosting across her sternum, before closing around her other nipple and tonguing it until it pebbles beneath his hot mouth. Rey whines and Ben – sweet, wonderful – Ben – pushes a second finger into her. _Oh!_ It’s tight, but the discomfort swiftly melts away as he increases the pressure to her clit. Ben leans up – staring down at her – as her hands grip the sheets and her body writhes against his touch. She’s dripping for him. She can feel the fluid dampening her inner thighs and soaking beneath her bottom. A hot, embarrassed flush burns all the way down to her neck.

“So beautiful.” He mutters, drinking in the sight of her, his lips parted with wonder. “Keep going, Rey.”

She whimpers and can only nod. The sensation of his fingers stretching her, gliding in and out of her wet heat, and then he’s moving? – confusion pinches her brow as she sees him scoot backwards and remove his thumb from her clit. She wants to protest yet the words die on her tongue as Ben’s mouth covers the tight, aching bundle of nerves at her core. She hisses, her heels digging into his back, and her body greedily bowing towards his touch.

He sucks, flattening his tongue against her center, and Rey both wants to squirm away and wants to chase the electric, firestorm that’s burning inside her skin. She pants, trying to form a coherent sentence about how _good_ it all feels, but her mind is wrung dry. There is nothing else in the Universe. It’s only them. _Ben, Ben, Ben._

His free hand holds her steady at the hip and Rey can feel it – the approaching release. The muscles of her stomach tense and her thighs quake and Ben’s fingers move faster, curling and hitting a spot that makes her knees go _weak_. She cries out, babbling out his name and hurried requests of ‘ _yes’_ and ‘ _please’_ though she can’t say what she’s begging for. His fingertips dig into her hipbone and she feels his presence across their bond – a sharp command; _come for me._

Her spine arches upward as the orgasm hits her with an intensity that she’s unfamiliar with. Her legs shake, toes curling, chest heaving with labored breath as she shouts. The fireworks that burst behind her eyelids are colorful and stunning and it leaves her a trembling, sweating mess. Her eyes flutter open and she sees Ben wiping his jaw with his hand and then sliding his fingers into his mouth to taste her again.

“Ben—”

“Shh,” He leans across their bodies, kissing her as he unfastens his trousers, “I’ve got you, sweetheart.” He says, pressing the tip of his cock at her drenched folds. She _needs_ him. And for once, the thought of needing anyone isn’t as terrifying as it used to be. Ben won’t leave her side – they’re connected. Her thighs clamp around his waist and she nods up at Ben. Her mate. Her equal in the Force. He sinks into her with a guttural moan and touches their foreheads together.

Despite the dizzying, intoxicating feeling of him filling her – she catches a flutter of nervous energy in the bond.

 _I’m okay._ She reminds him, pushing back the sweat-dampened tendrils of his dark hair.

_I’ve never done this before._

Rey laughs, brushing her nose on his, “Neither have I, remember? Don’t worry. This…” She sighs, her muscles relaxing as her body adjusts to the size of him, “Feels good.” He’s crowding her, arms braced on either side of her, his cock buried to the hilt and her walls pulse around him, trying to draw him deeper. The Force orbits around them – she can feel it swirling and cresting – like the tides pulled by the moon.

He chuckles, “Mhm. It does.” He draws his hips back and then rocks forward and Rey buries her face into the side of his neck. She licks a stripe along the ridge of his scar. _Mine._

 _Yours._ He agrees with a searing, bruising kiss to her lips.

X

 _The Interstellar Court_. Rey glides her palm across the gray and black fabric that’s draped across the worker’s station. The symbol embroidered on the front – the crest – depicts two curved lines, each with a fork at the end, orbiting each other. Chasing one another. Rey glances down at her scar. 

She runs her fingers across the center of the crest. The small collection of white stars. Each one representing a sector under their protection.

Not control.

 _Protection_.

There’s a whisper of darkness, of _love_ , and respect at the base of her spine and Rey turns to see Ben. He crosses the room in quick strides, lowering his mouth to hers in a brief kiss before he kneels down and places both hands on her stomach.

Rey smiles down at him. His dark hair is neatly styled away from his strong, handsome face. A simple silver circlet on his brow to designate his rank. The cloak he wears is fashioned to drape over one shoulder and it's stark-crimson against his suit of black. It's a subtle intimidation tactic that Ben employs when facing off against stubborn diplomats. They see the red, the black, and the lightsaber at his hip and they remember that Ben, although he's not a Sith Lord, he still wields the darkness. Rey employs a similar tactic when she's required to meet with pilots and officials. She wears her Jedi robes. It inspires more awe than fear, but it does the trick just fine.

“You came straight here from negotiations?” She guesses as her fingers card through his luscious waves. He hums at her touch. The brush of his mind to hers whirls with contentment and pleasure. 

“I did.” He presses his lips to the small swell of her abdomen. His head tilts up and the smile that illuminates his face makes Rey’s heart stutter. He never fails to take her breath away - whether he's covered in sweat and pinning her wrists above her head, whispering wicked words into the shell of her ear, or refined and poised at the head of the table, or lying on his back with his lips parted, his hair mussed around his forehead, and softly snoring in the early morning light.

He kisses her stomach once more, _Ours._

A swell of affection tightens Rey’s throat and she smiles with tears pooling in her eyes.

_Ours._

X

The Force sang with harmony to each populated planet and desolate wasteland.

And it would continue for years to come.

**Author's Note:**

> I added this to a collection because I might get crazy and just write one-shots/drabbles for this universe I just made up lmao 
> 
> Yes, I took away Snoke's bridge of their mind and made up my own "Mate" Bond thing. I do what I want.
> 
> Anywaaay please feel free to leave me comments/kudos/whatever. MANY KISSES.


End file.
